The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-12-29

day. Ill take some OF your flowers,
to tighten it a bit
''Oh, thank you, sir; but I'd rather
YOU wouldn't because-because, you
might think that only spoke to you
so that you would buy some of my
flowers. | was so glad to see you
again that couldn't help but speak"
.'Ah! my little maiden, | am right
glad that you like the old sailor.
Would you mind if walked nome with
you? l should like to see the garden
where those pretty violets grow
.sOh, should like it ever so much,
SIR"
The two trudged along, the old man
beguiling the time by telling her storjas
of sailor life.
'.But now tell me something about
yourself, little one"
well, sir, papa is dead, he was
carpenter, and one day he fell from
big ladder, and then he was brought
home dead. Mamma has not been
well since. Before papa died we
moved into this nice little cottage
where we live now. Mamma does not
like it as well as do, because when
she was little girl like me, she used
to live by the sea, and she always likes
to be near it. Mammals father was
sailor, | guess that was the reason
why like you so much.
Where did your mother live, when
she was small?" 81 think it was in
c., sir, in England" ..In CO"
said the old man, starting back in sur
prise. "If it should be, if it only could
be, nv daughterP"- Here is where |
live, sir" said Elsie, as they reached
little, old-fashioned cottage, stand
ing in the center of a large garden.
In front of the house were beds of
lovely English violets, which gave
forth most delightful odOr. Behind
the house were a large number of fruit
trees, now in full blossom. As soon
as Elsie opened the door, sailor Bens
| eyes fell on a picture hanging on the
wall; he recognized it as one which
had been taken of his wife in the hap
Ply days when they lived in England.
When the door opened, and Elsie's
| mother came into the room, he tried
to rise, but could not. She looked at
| the sailor for some time, without say
ing a word; but after long and earnest
gazing at his face. she cried: Father,
oh father, have you come back to me
at last?" "Yes, my daughter, come
home never to leave you again, said
! the old man, with tears running down
his cheeks.
Now, mamma, you will get well,
won't you?" And in her excitement
little Elsie ran from her mother to her
grandfather, saying, ''Oh! l am so
happy! But dear me, 1 have forgot
ten that you and grandfather must
want your tea, so Unjust get it ready"
''What, do you make the tea?" said
her newly-found grandfather. ''Yes,
indeed, she is quite little hOuSekeep-
err" said her mother fondly. They sat
up until late hour, talking about the
past. "How was it. father, that they
brought back the report that you were
lostP" "Well, my dear, you know the
ship was wrecked, and all of our crew,
except one sailor and myself, pcrished,
We managed to swim to an island and
stayed there until We were picked up
by a vessel bound for Africa. When
we landed there, one uay my COM
panion and were lost in tae Jungle.
We were taken captives by some Afri-
can tribes, and held as prisoners for
quite while, but finally we succeeded
in making our escape. When we
reached the sea coast, we found en-
| ployniont on board of vessel bound
for England. Old Tim Lockhart and
| must have been the only survivors of
the wreck, and the vessel returning
from Africa, must have brought the
tldings that finally reached you. l
arrived at home to find it occupied by
strangers. No one seemed to know
anything about you, except that you
had married, and that Won had all
1 hnr. lnFf tA1..-
| wholly disheartened. Jim was made
bound for this city, and | was Just
going round to see the sights hen
happened to spy little Elsie. noticed
her pretty violets, and they reminded
me of those which grew in our garden,
and of which your mother was so
fond. Elsie reminded me of you when
yov were her age. l came this after
noon to have chat with my little
fiower-girl,' as l called her, not daring
to hope that might find my daughter
again"
"Oh father, to think that the very
trial which l thought so hard to bear,
has brought you back to me. 1t az
hard thing for me to let Elsie sell
flowers in the street. But there was
no help for il, for ever since my hus-
band died, we have been getting poor
er and poorer, and sometimes we have
been almost without food" my dear
daughter, you shall not know want
any more, if God is willing to spare
me vet for few years." ''Oh. NAM
ma, l shall never like any flowers half
as well as I do violets, because they
brought me my kind old grandpa,
said the happy little girl, caressing the
old sailor, on whose knee she had been
|, sitting all the while he was talking to
her mother "But, my daughter it is
twelve o'clock, and 1 am afraid oul
little Elsie will lose all her roses, il
she STAYS up so late. Let us thank our
heavenly father that he has brought
me safe home again" And kneeling
down, the old man poured out his soul
!, in thanksgiving to God.
As soon as Elsie's mother was able
: to travel. they went back TO England
in sailor Ben's ship. But old Tin
! Lockhart-who rejoiced with all his
, heart at his mates good fortune-de
: clared himself weary of 4 sea-farins
: life, and purchasing Mrs. Graham!
: : neat cottage, with its garden, orchard
and fields, settled down there for the
> remainder of his days, with his house
. hold gods around him. The last re
! membrance the Grahams had of Amer
= = lea, was the sight of the eX-sailor il
: the garb of truck gardener, his wrin
: kled face one tangle of tears and smile
: as, on the morning of their departure
y he leaned over the rail fence, wavins
l l them farewell with his red bandann;
}. and wishing them ''God-speed," whil'
I he whistled Nancy Lee" to coneea
= . his feelings. Little Elsie was soon ;
= great favorite with the sailors on boar'
. the vessel, who called her the ''littl
. violet girl for she had brought witt
). her several plants of violets, an'
= was seldom without one in her hand
. or somewhere about her. When the.
!, reached England, they bought bacl
? their old homestead. Little Elsie neve
n forgot the good the violets had brOugh
her, and when she grew up and MAJ
Il ried, she called her little baby cir
> '.Violet. = L0ais Burchets, in Amert
. can Agricalturist.